Cotton-picker suction tube



Feb. 24, 1931. 1T, R, PQST 1 1,794,243

CoTToN PICKER sUcTIoN TUBE original Fiied Nov.. 1s, 192e Patented Feb. 24, 1931 THOMAS R. POST, 0F WILMNGTON, NORTH CAROLINA COTTON-IPCKER SUCTON TUBE Original application filed November 13, 1926, Serial No. 148,242. Divided and this application filed April 1G, 1927.

This invention relates to cotton pickers and has special reference to a division of my prior application for patent on cotton picker, filed November 13, 1926, Serial Number 148,242, abandoned and refiled February 23, 1928, Serial No. 256,457. My said application 256,457 relates to general pneumatic picker structure.

More particularly the invention relates to a gathering head for cotton picker suction tubes. v

The principal object of the present invention is to provide an improved and novel construction of gathering head for the suction tubes of cotton pickers, the head being so arranged that it may operate effectively in any position to removethe cotton from the squares.

lVith the above and other objects in view as will be hereinafter apparent, the invention consists in, general of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and specifically claimed.

In the accompanying drawings like characters of reference indicate lilre parts in the several views, and:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the cotton picker suction tube showing the gathering head thereon and the means for manipulating the same.

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail View of the gathering head or mouth and disclosing the swivel arrangement, the view being partly in section.

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of the part shown in Figure 2, this view being likewise partly in section.

in the present disclosure the same general type of machine is employed as that disclosed in the previous application above referred to, only certain parts of that machine being here shown. @t these parts there is disclosed a standard 23 having in its upper end a ball socket 211- nfherein rests a suitable ball held in the socket by a cover plate 26 provided with a suitable opening through which passes the shank 28 of said ball. This shank 2S supports a U-shaped frame 29 provided with Serial No. 184,333.

spaced pairs of bearing rollers between which is supported a conveyor tube 31 which bends at its forward end at right angles, the bent portion 32 lying normally in a horizontal position and being provided with a flange 33 which bears against a flange 3 formed on an elbow 35 having an open mouth end 36. The flanges 33 and 311 are held to'getherby a cover plate 37 and thus the mouth can swivel on the right angular portion 32 and, as seen in Figure 1, can be inclined forwardly or rearwardly at will. This forward and rearward movement is controlled'by the operator through the medium of an arin 38 fixed to the elbow flange 34- and connected by a rod 39 with a lever-i0 pivotally mounted on an operating arm or handle Lill which projects upwardly from the tube 31 in front of the operators position. Thus by grasping the arm 41 with the left hand and the lever t() with the right hand the operator is enabled to move the tube forwardly or rearwardly, swing it in any direction, and tilt it up and down.- l may also incline the mouth in any direction by rotating the tube 31 by manipulating the handle l1. will be observed that there-is provided a blast pipe or tube 22 aoaptedto be connected by a flexible pipe 21 with a suitable blower and that this pipe 22 is provided at its forward end with a return bend 43 which connects with a lnozzle member larranged on the bend 32 axially of the pipe 31. By this ineans when the blower is operated a forcible jet of air is blown into the forward end of the tube 31 and sets up a heavysuction in the mouth 36 in the usual manner. Furthermore, this mouth 36 is provided with a series of light fingers 4:5 which are pivoted at 46 to the periphery of the mouth and are inclined normally inwardly of said mouth. These fingers are held from too great movement toward the opening of the mouth by stop members L17 and are pressed towarc said opening by light springs 48. By this means, when the mouth is dropped over a boll by the operator, the cotton is engaged by the points of the fingers and if the suction itself is not sufhcient to draw the cot-ton out of the square or boll the mouth may be lifted which will effectively remove the cotton. Owing to the inclination of the iingers and the ease with which they move inwardly, the suction will then strip the cotton o the fingers and the air jet will carry it back through the pipe 8l. rEhe rear end oitl the pipe 3l is connected by a iiexible tube i9 to the ginning' mechanism as described in the aforesaid prior application.

There has thus been provided a simple and eiiicient device of the kind described and for the purpose specified.

it is obvious that minor changes may be made in the iorm and construction ofthe in vention without departing from the material 3;, spirit thereof. it is not, therefore, desired to comin-e the invention to the exact form herein shown and described, but itis desired to incl de all such as properly come within the scope claimed.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is:

l. In a cotton picker of the pneumatic type, a cotton boli engaging mouth piece, a series of light yieldable fingers extending radially inward from the wall of the mouth and inclined rearwardiy from the opening f or' said mouth, hinge connections between the outer ends of said lingers and said wall, and stop lugs to limit the movement of the inner ends of the fingers toward the opening of the month.

2. In a cotton picker of the pneumatic type, a cotton boll engaging mouthpiece, a series of light yieldable iingers extending radially inward from the wall of the mouth and inclined rearwardly from the opening of said mouth, hinge connections between the outer ends of said fingers and said wall, stop lugs to limit the movement of the inner ends of 40 the fingers toward the opening of the mouth,

and light springs interposed between the ingers and said wall and urging the inner ends of the fingers toward said opening.

in testimony whereof I atHX my signature.

THOMAS R. POST. 

